<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet by Fangirl1177</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25829383">Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl1177/pseuds/Fangirl1177'>Fangirl1177</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>True Vessels or Vessel anyway [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Season/Series 05, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Sam does not appear but is referenced a lot, True Vessels (Supernatural), True Vessels are the angels soulmates, violence that isn't graphic but obviously happens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:01:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,152</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25829383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl1177/pseuds/Fangirl1177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Raphael had plans for the Apocalypse but it seems that they are not needed. Raphael's not complaining.</p>
<p>(Or Raphael's side of the story featuring what happened to Zachariah.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michael &amp; Raphael (Supernatural), Michael/Sam Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>True Vessels or Vessel anyway [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1273298</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title is a quote from Aristotle.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The breaking of the Seals was a tragic and momentous occasion that ushered in the End Of Days. It was something they in Heaven were half waiting for, half ignoring because while there was a chance it could end very well for them there was the same chance that it wouldn’t and for Raphael there was no perfect ending.</p>
<p>Michael was his brother and they had stood by each other for millennia as the last bit of family they had left. Raphael had given his loyalty to Michael long ago and he knew that if he died he’d probably lose his mind with grief.</p>
<p>But while Lucifer was a sanctimonious prick with a small genocide problem who only cared about himself he was also Raphael’s brother and, as much as he didn’t want to, he missed him. And when (if) he died that would make it worse because there would be no chance that he could ever come home.</p>
<p>Which was why he called for preparations to the apocalypse with heavy heart and was utterly mind boggled as to why Zachariah stood in front of him asking stupid and inconsiderate questions like: will the End bring Father home?</p>
<p>How was he supposed to know? (He can’t come home, He’s dead. There was no other explanation as to why He had abandoned them.)</p>
<p>“The apocalypse was foretold, and we know the Seals must break. Anything after that is down to us.” Raphael stated silently cursing Michael for deciding to go commune with his True Vessel now. “Go prepare the lower choirs to protect Seals for when the demons start to break them.” Zachariah opened his mouth as if to ask another stupid question, so he left.</p>
<p>He’d just reached his own rooms when Michael exited his, wings meticulously groomed and Grace glowing in a way Raphael had almost thought he’d never see again.</p>
<p>“Your conversation went well I take it?” Raphael asked him because when he got like this Michael sometimes forgot to speak or not to speak and Raphael couldn’t send him out and let the Seraphim’s interpret.</p>
<p>“We didn’t speak.” Michael vibrated like he was a newly created fledgling and not the oldest son of God. “But his soul is beautiful. He’s radiant and Righteous but so human and I don’t know how to tell him he’s perfect and so amaz – how do humans court each other now?” Michael froze and stared at him eyes wide.</p>
<p>“I have no idea. Go ask a human.” Raphael inched towards his door.</p>
<p>“But how will I find the right human, they can never agree on anything?”</p>
<p>“Then ask somebody who’s met the Winchesters.” Michael tilted his head and his eyes glazed over so Raphael took his chances and slipped into his room.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>The demons didn’t break any Seals.</p>
<p>While this gave Michael plenty of time to plan out his courtship of his True Vessel in intricate detail with many plans in case of changing circumstances and them both time to sort through all the paperwork that needed to be done and start to remove Michael from the process of running Heaven’s day to day matters it was worrying.</p>
<p>“What are they waiting for?” Michael murmured, Raphael looked up from his form and pushed aside the growing pile of battle plans Michael was drawing to see his brother better.</p>
<p>“I don’t know. I don’t exactly care to understand the thinking of an abomination.” Michael startled and looked at him.</p>
<p>“You’re right. So far all they’ve done other than break the Seal is sabotage his body and ensure that he keeps hunting.” Michael pushed himself up and started pacing, Raphael sighed and pushed aside his own paperwork. Michael wouldn’t let him concentrate until he figured out what was going on using anything he says as a sounding board and somehow hearing something different.</p>
<p>“Demon blood is addictive.” He threw out just to get the ball rolling, it was something they already knew and had taken great lengths to ensure that Sam Winchester remained in a mentally stable enough position to not turn to his innate addiction, just encase he became Michael’s True Vessel. In the same way they had curbed Dean Winchesters unhealthy need for control over everything and everyone in his life. Both were things demons could use to make either brother more susceptible to evil.</p>
<p>“Sam won’t take it in his right mind.” Michael waved away.</p>
<p>“What if he’s not in his right mind?” Raphael asked. “His brother sold his soul to bring him back to life, when he dies he’s going to be grief stricken and very vulnerable.” Michael held his gaze for a moment before guiltily looking away.</p>
<p>“When Dean dies he will be in Hell and ready to be groomed to become Lucifer’s True Vessel while Sam is hurt so that I will need to heal him and thus be weaker in our fight, giving the demons more time to break the Seals.” Michael flicked through his battle plans, voice growing distant as he talked to himself. “We cannot interfere with Dean’s contract he will have to go to Hell and for him to be a vessel the demons will have to raise him. How prepared are we for battle?” Raphael shot him a concerned look but fished out his latest report from the garrisons from under the pile of other paperwork.</p>
<p>“Everything’s prepared, now we’re just waiting and practicing.” Michael nodded.</p>
<p>“The longer Dean is in Hell the worse Sam will get because he will not listen while he has a demon in his ear and his brother is gone. Once Dean is in Hell the demons control the time frame allowing them to catch us off guard, protecting the Seals will thin our ranks which we cannot replace but the demons can and we will never be able to protect all of them.” Michael scowled at the battle plan in his hand, the light of Michael’s Grace dimmed and his feathers ruffled and Raphael knew that he wouldn’t like what came next. “When the demons start breaking the Seals we must also break them.”</p>
<p>“What?” Raphael carefully placed down the report and leaned over the desk to take Michael’s hands. “Michael that goes against everything we stand for.”</p>
<p>“I know.” Michael snapped back looking more annoyed than Raphael felt. “But it is the option that will save the most lives in the end and allow me a stronger vessel, the quicker the Seals break the less prepared the demons will be and the healthier Sam will be.” Raphael nodded.</p>
<p>“I’ll tell Zachariah to find somebody trustworthy to break the Seals.”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>“Send a Garrison to retrieve Dean Winchester from Hell.”</p>
<p>“<em>What?!</em> Michael! We had a plan!”</p>
<p>“Sam is breaking, the demons aren’t bringing Dean back. If he’s in Hell then Lucifer can take him as soon as he leaves his Cage. Send a Garrison to retrieve Dean Winchester from Hell!”</p>
<p>“Anneil’s Garrison is strong and not on Seal duty I’ll send them now.”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>When the Cage did open, Lilith’s damned blood split on the floor, Raphael hid in his office.</p>
<p>They had given their orders out long before and new ones would not be needed until Lucifer made his first move.</p>
<p>Michael joined him soon after.</p>
<p>They sat in silence and slowly made contingency plan after contingency plan in case of Michaels death.</p>
<p>In case of Raphael’s death.</p>
<p>In case of Lucifer’s death.</p>
<p>They didn’t have to make any in case of Gabriel’s.</p>
<p>They only looked up when the Winchesters vanished from their senses before making another plan.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>It was not long after that there was a large gathering of higher level demons. Raphael had noticed almost immediately and decided to keep an eye on it, with the apocalypse at hand there were more demons on Earth than ever but the high level ones rarely gathered and even now the Knights and Princes of Hell were keeping to themselves.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until Michael had gone to investigate the Winchesters involvement with War that he realised that they were giving Famine corporal form.</p>
<p>Finding a vessel was easy, as was getting them to consent, due to prior arrangement. The difficult part came when the demons allowed Famine to get away by allowing Raphael to destroy them all. With Famine gone he left immediately to tell Michael that the demons were putting their plans before their lives for once, the faint link between himself and his vessel telling him that they had survived holding him for the short period of time.</p>
<p>He left the connection open and regretted it when Castiel used it to pull him back down to Earth to talk to Dean Winchester.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>“Just Dean? Sam wasn’t with them?”</p>
<p>“No. Just Dean.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Michael I’m sure. Just like I was sure that it was just Dean the other nineteen times you asked.”</p>
<p>“Did they give any indication about why Sam wasn’t with them?”</p>
<p>“No, they did not. Why don’t you go ask Sam yourself?”</p>
<p>“I uh… I still don’t know what to say. He’s just so-”</p>
<p>“<em>Michael!</em>”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>When the Anti-Christ appeared on Earth then promptly disappeared after destroying several demons. Raphael immediately sought out Michael and dragged him back to his office.</p>
<p>“Now’s your chance.” He sat Michael down and let Michael pretend that he had no idea what he was talking about. “The Winchesters are back together so Sam is strong, but he’ll still be worried about the demon blood. You just have to go in and assure him that his actions were Righteous for saving a child etcetera etcetera. Tell him about how he’s good and he shouldn’t worry about you and just be yourself.”</p>
<p>“What if he doesn’t like me?” Raphael rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“You’re his other half, he’s your True Vessel. If he didn’t like you neither would work. Now find his dreams and talk to him.” Raphael stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest and spread out his wings to let Michael know he wasn’t leaving. Michael huffed but settled back in his chair, relaxing and giving a small smile and glow in his Grace almost immediately.</p>
<p>“He’s not asleep.”</p>
<p>“We have time.” Michael gave him an irritated look but settled down to wait. Raphael watched him carefully and when he started to tense up again, leaned forward and loomed over him. “Is Sam asleep?”</p>
<p>“Yes but-”</p>
<p>“Great you can go talk to him.”</p>
<p>There was a moment of silence when Michael actually almost did so before stopping and glaring up at him.</p>
<p>“I can’t talk to him with you right there.”</p>
<p>“If I’m not here you won’t talk to him.”</p>
<p>“I will.”</p>
<p>“No, you won’t.”</p>
<p>“I will.” Raphael threw up his hands and stormed out of the room.</p>
<p>“Just don’t tell him you love him the first time you meet.” He threw over his shoulder and proceeded to lean against the wall between Lucifer and Gabriel’s doors, better than leaning against his own and seeing them. If he went into his own room Michael would probably try to back out. It was almost funny how flustered Sam made him, as he could enjoy it as long as Michael only stayed so around him.</p>
<p>Raphael didn’t have to wait that long before Michael announced that he’d finished talking to Sam by smashing something.</p>
<p>He was in the room in an instant avoiding the stationery and paperwork littered over the floor, Michael stood behind his desk wings raised and body tense.</p>
<p>“Michael?” He asked reaching out and gently holding his arm.</p>
<p>“Where’s Zachariah?” Michael snapped.</p>
<p>“On Earth, or he should be anyway.” Michael nodded stiffly.</p>
<p>“Tell him to come here. Now.” Raphael eyed him for a moment before letting go, Michael sat back down behind his desk and waved his hand, the stationery and papers on the floor returning to his desk.</p>
<p>‘Zachariah. Michael wants to see you in his office immediately.’ He sent over angel radio, Michael twitched at his calm voice but otherwise didn’t move, face stony. Zachariah took his time and while Michael didn’t do anything to indicate that he should hurry up he grew tenser and the wild wrath in his eyes and wings steeled into something more calculating. When he did finally knock on the door Raphael checked that Michael was composed and in the position he wanted to be before opening it, Zachariah puffed up full of self-importance, full of pride, and strolled into the room to stand in front of the desk. Raphael closed the door and moved to loom behind him.</p>
<p>“Michael. Raphael.” Zachariah greeted. Michael didn’t say anything so neither did Raphael.</p>
<p>It took a minute for Zachariah to realise that they weren’t pleased with him. Another to start to panic. A third to start to fear.</p>
<p>Michael wasn’t used to waiting three minutes for somebody to fear him. Neither for that matter was Raphael.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until five minutes when Zachariah’s wings started to twitch that Michael leaned back in his chair and spoke.</p>
<p>“I just had an interesting conversation with my True Vessel.”</p>
<p>“Is he ready to say Yes?” Zachariah’s excitement was starting to get on Raphael’s nerves, Michael’s too apparently.</p>
<p>“No.” Zachariah drooped.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry Sir. I’ll try harder.”</p>
<p>“How?” Raphael hadn’t heard Michael that cold in a very long time.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry Sir I don’t understand.” Zachariah’s wings fluttered.</p>
<p>“How will you try harder to gain consent?”</p>
<p>“Well, I’ll put more pressure on, he obviously doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation.”</p>
<p>“My True Vessel more than understands the gravity of the situation. You on the other hand I think don’t.” Zachariah started to quake, his grace curling up into itself as he recognised the situation he was in. “Zachariah do you know what consent means?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Zachariah shuddered. “Sir.”</p>
<p>“Then you are aware that you cannot be tortured for consent?”</p>
<p>“Yes Sir.” Zachariah’s voice was almost non-existent.</p>
<p>“You are also aware that you cannot torture consent out of <em>the wrong person</em>.” Zachariah froze in all dimensions.</p>
<p>Michael stood, his grace pushing against his boundaries and the room filled with his presence. Raphael gently held his own boundaries up, an admission that he would not be cowed by his brother yet would not fight him but the much less powerful angel before them shuddered as his weak defences were torn to shreds.</p>
<p>“Dean Winchester is not my True Vessel and you may have done irreversible damage in pushing him to be.”</p>
<p>“If he is not then who-” Raphael saw the moment Zachariah realised who. “<em>Sam.</em>” He spat. “But my Lord he is an Abomination, you can do so much better than that worthless scum, I should go down and teach him a lesson for daring to-” Raphael had always wondered if their Father had made something without self-preservation instincts, he could cross that question off the list.</p>
<p>“<em>Sam Winchester is my True Vessel.</em>” Michael’s voice rang with Holy Power and Zachariah collapsed on the ground as Heaven itself shook under the weight of Michael’s True Form slipping out of his boundary. The angel screamed at the feeling of his outer dimensions being burnt, the angel equivalent of humans losing their eyes in the presence of a higher power.</p>
<p>“<em>Sam Winchester is my True Vessel and you will do nothing to harm him ever again.</em> Be gone Zachariah for you have broken the most sacred laws of Heaven and it is my Soulmate who has paid the price.” Michael ached his wings out and Zachariah screamed before Raphael put him out of his misery and sent him to the prison.</p>
<p>They stood where they were for a small eternity before Michael calmed down and collapsed, curling up into himself. Raphael gave him a moment then stepped back.</p>
<p>“I will leave you to your thoughts.” He had turned and opened the door when Michael spoke.</p>
<p>“I gave him his memories of Hell.” Raphael froze but did not turn around.</p>
<p>“He’s mentally unstable, that could easily tip him over the edge.”</p>
<p>“Or make him stronger.”</p>
<p>“Only if he has support.”</p>
<p>“I’ll support him.” Raphael glanced over his shoulder at his brother’s miserable form and sighed, he gave one last piece of advice before he left to go to the public levels and do damage control from Michael’s last stunt.</p>
<p>“Remind him of his strengths, remind him that none of it was his fault, but remember it wasn’t yours either brother.”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>He did not see his brother much after that as he was busy trying to understand what was happening on Earth and Michael tried to understand where they had gone wrong and spent as much time as possible with Sam.</p>
<p>So, he was surprised when Michael called him to his side sounding distressed not long after.</p>
<p>“What happened?” He asked, arriving as soon as he could. “Has something happened to Sam?”</p>
<p>“Brother.” Michael said and it took Raphael a moment to realise he was begging. “Brother. I love you.”</p>
<p>“I love you too Michael.” Raphael stepped forward and pulled him into a hug like he was a small fledgling. He ran his Grace over his brother because he was hurting and Raphael was a healer and a brother and he could not stand to see the last of his family hurt. “What is wrong?”</p>
<p>“I… I was wrong.” Michael sounded completely lost. “We were wrong. Raphael, our brother is alive.” Raphael frowned at him and Michael seemed to realise he was making no sense. “<em>Gabriel is alive</em>.” Raphael froze and Michael turned so that he was the one holding him. Raphael did not know what he needed to do because for the first time in a long time he felt the urge to abandon his duties and scour the Earth in search of one of the people in his life he thought was dead.</p>
<p>“Show me.” He demanded.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>Emotional upheaval was not Raphael’s strong suit but when Good News came, he greeted it with proper angelic enthusiasm. It just so happened that this time was a little delayed. He decided that nobody could blame him and focused on the details that Michael would have missed because while Michael knew he had rediscovered one brother Raphael knew he had rediscovered two, because if Lucifer’s reaction to Sam was anything like Michael’s then he was going to <em>come home</em>.</p>
<p>So, he was not surprised when Michael started spending more time in Sam’s dreams.</p>
<p>He was not surprised when Michael found himself a temporary vessel and started spending more time with Sam and Lucifer physically.</p>
<p>And he was not surprised by how happy it made his brother.</p>
<p>He was, however, surprised by the invitation he was given to join all his brothers and the Winchesters for what Michael informed him Dean called Family Movie Night.</p>
<p>And he was surprised that after all he had endured and all the pain behind him how easily it was to accept and to step into a bright future.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*Insert Frankenstein noises* It's alive!!</p>
<p>Okay I really owe you guys an apology because this has been sitting in my word docs since last, what April? May? I just couldn't finish it last year then fell head first into another Fandom then just when I'd surfaced 2020 happened. You may or may not have noticed but 2020 has not been a good year. Anyway, I belted out the last 700 words in the last few hours and I have spell checked it and I would usually wait until tomorrow to check again before posting but I don't want to accidentally leave this in my docs for another 18 months so I'll check tomorrow anyway but in the mean time if you see anything shout.</p>
<p>I know I promised you a sequel with fluff (I think, God I can't remember) but I'm gonna preface here that while there are plans (so many plans, I'd forgotten how many plans) they aren't happening until at least mid-September if ever so don't get your hopes too high just encase, although I would like to finish this.</p>
<p>Anyway hope the wait was worth it and stay safe (that's what we're doing nowadays isn't it?).</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>